Improved storage apparatus

ABSTRACT

A multi part storage container including at least two walled containers whereby a first walled container includes one closed end and one open end, and a second walled container includes two open ends, whereby at least one of the two open ends of the second container is configured to interconnect with the open end of the first container and a secure cover.

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/744,213 filed Apr. 4, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food storage is an area that has encompassed a great amount of time effort and ingenuity. One area that has not been addressed is removal of viscous, semi-solid, or solid food items from the bottom of containers. Many food storage containers contain openings with a diameter that prohibit a user from getting a substantial portion of the hand or utensil into the container. Depending on the viscosity of the article contained therein, sometimes use of a utensil is not sufficient in aiding the removal of product at or near the lower portion of the container. There is a need for a container that is configured to allow easy and unobstructed access to the contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention addresses the previous difficulties with a container that is easy to manufacture, use, and maintain.

In one embodiment, the subject invention is a multi-part storage container comprising:

-   -   (a) a first walled container having a closed end and an open         end, wherein said open end is suitable for receiving a cover or         a second container; and     -   (b) a second walled container having an open first end and an         open second end wherein said second end of said second container         is releasably attached to said open end of said first walled         container.

The parts may be attached in any desired manner. In one embodiment, the multi-part storage container provides an open end of said first container having a threaded portion on the outer circumference for receiving a screw-type attachment.

The first container will be used in combination with a second container is configured such that said open first end can be attached to the open end of said first walled container and said second end of said second walled container can receive a secure cover.

The multi-part storage container provides said second container having a threaded portion about the inner circumference along an interior wall portion near said open first end, whereby said threaded portion interacts with a threaded portion of said open end of said first container such that said second container may be rotatably attached to said first container by the interaction of threaded screw members. In a preferred embodiment, the rotatable attachment is a right handed attachment.

The second walled container includes a threaded portion on an outer portion of a wall about the outer circumference near said second open end. The threaded portion allows the second walled container to receive a closure through interaction of the closure with a threaded portion about the outer circumference of the open second end.

Alternatively, the containers and closures may attach through snap-fit type closures that are known in the art.

The multi part container described encompasses two main walled containers. The present invention may comprise more than two individual walled containers as needed and/or desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side view of the present invention in section along line A-A from FIG. 4.

FIG. 1B is a partial cross section side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1C is a partial cross section side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first container, the second container, and the lid. Arrows show the assembly and the direction to rotatably attach the second container to the first container and the lid to the second container.

FIG. 3 is a side view of section A-A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a multipart storage container assembly 10. The assembly includes a first walled container 11 having a closed first end 12. Container 11 has a circular outer wall 13 and a rim or upper edge 14. Container 11 has a neck 15 with screw threads 16 threaded on the exterior side of neck 15. Screw threads 16 are right handed tighten and neck 15 is a continuation of outer wall 13. Wall flange 17 is a continuation of wall 13 and offsets the vertical orientation of neck 15 inward from the circumference of outer wall 13. Container 11 has an open second end 18.

A second walled container 20 has an open first end 21, an open second end 22, and an outer circular wall 23. Container 20 has screw threads 24 on the outer circumference of wall 23 near end 21. Screw threads 24 are complementary to inner screw threads 26 of a lid 25 that are on the interior 27 of lid 25.

Container 20 may have flange 29 located near end 22. Flange 29 is located near screw threads 30 adjacent to open second end 22.

Container 20 further has a first rim 31 where wall 23 terminates at end 21 and second rim,32 where wall 23 terminates at end 22.

In an embodiment depicted in FIG. 1B outer wall 13 of first walled container 11 has a thickness less than outer wall 23 of second walled container 20. This allows for a straight outer wall configuration of the interconnected containers.

In an embodiment depicted in FIG. 1C outer wall 23 of second walled container 20 has a thickness equal to outer wall 13 of first walled container 11. This allows for a straight outer wall configuration of the interconnected containers.

The multiple part storage container 10 of the present invention is used by the interaction of container 11, container 20, and lid 25.

Before filling contents into the interior of the multiple part storage container 10, Container 20 is placed in position above container 11 such that open end 22 of container 20 is above open end 18 of container 11. Screw threads 18 on threaded neck 15 of container 11 allow container 20 to be rotatably attached to container 11 through interaction of screw thread 30 adjacent to end 22 with screw threads 18 on neck 15 of container 11 with a right handed tighten arrangement.

Lid 25 is then rotatably attached to opened first end 21 on container 20 by interaction of inner screw threads 26 on interior 27 of lid 25, with screw threads 24 on container 20.

In a configuration where container 11 and container 20 are interconnected, a level of contents 28 may extend the entire capacity of container 11 and into any part of container 20.

When level of contents 28 no longer encompasses the capacity of container 20, for example as seen in FIG. 3, and only encompasses the capacity, or some portion thereof, of container 11, container 20 may be rotatably detached from first container 11 to easily access contents 28′ in container 11. Lid 25, when removed from container 20, may then be rotatably attached to container 11 by interaction of inner screw threads 26 on interior 27 of lid 25 with screw threads 16 on threaded neck 15 of container 11.

In the demonstrated embodiment, the multi part container 10 is assembled of two container units. The multi part container 10 may be assembled of additional units in a stacked arrangement. In this arrangement, multi part container 10, includes container 11, container 20 an at least one additional container. The additional container or containers will be similarly configured as container 20 in that they will have 2 open ends that will interconnect with other containers and receive a secure cover.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modification may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention. 

1. A multi-part storage container comprising: (a) a first walled container having a closed end and an open end, wherein said open end is suitable for receiving a cover or a second container; and (b) a second walled container having an open first end and an open second end wherein said second end of said second container is releasably attached to said open end of said first walled container.
 2. The multi-part storage container of claim 1 wherein said open end of said first container comprises a threaded portion on the outer circumference for receiving a screw-type attachment.
 3. The multi-part storage container of claim 1 wherein said second container is configured such that said open first end can be attached to the open end of said first walled container and said second end of said second walled container can receive a secure cover.
 4. The multi-part storage container of claim 1 wherein said second container comprises a threaded portion about the inner circumference along an interior wall portion near said open first end whereby said threaded portion interacts with a threaded portion of said open end of said first container such that said second container may be rotatably attached to said first container by the interaction of threaded screw members.
 5. The multi-part storage container of claim 1 wherein said second walled container comprises a threaded portion on an outer portion of a wall about the outer circumference near said second open end.
 6. The multi-part storage container of claim 1 wherein said second walled container receives a closure through interaction of the closure with said threaded portion about the outer circumference of said open second end.
 7. A multi-part storage container comprising: (a) a first circular walled container having a closed end and an threaded open end, wherein said open end is suitable for receiving a cover or a second container; and (b) a second circular walled container having a threaded open first end and a threaded open second end; wherein said second container comprises a threaded portion about the inner circumference along an interior wall portion near said open first end whereby said threaded portion interacts with a threaded portion of said open end of said first container such that said second container may be rotatably attached to said first container by the interaction of threaded screw members.
 8. The multi-part storage container of claim 8 further comprising at least one additional circular walled container. 